Folding level and plumb-rule.



G. P. DEWEES.

FOLDING LEVEL AND PLUMB RULE.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 20, I913.

1 143,256. 7 Patented June 15, 1915.

IIIII ""II l fl llllllllllllllllll w fill! 1- mg mIIIIII'IIII THE NORRISPETERS CO., -PHOTDL!THO., WASHINGTON. DI C.

arcs.

FOLDING LEVEL AND PLUMB-R-ULE Application filed March 20, 1913.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE P. Dnwnns, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Folding Levels and Plumb-Rules; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of 1 aference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

My invention relates to combination tools, and more particularly to atool used by bricklayers or masons, the principal object of theinvention being torprovide a device wherein a level, square, plumb, ruleand straight edge are combined into one tool which may be folded into acompact form when not in use. In accomplishing this object I haveprovided the improved details of structure hereinafter described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I is aperspective view of a com bination tool constructed in accordance withmy invention, showing the parts in folded position. Fig. II is aperspective view of the same, showing the arrangement of the parts whenused as a square. Fig. III is a plan view of a portion of the toolshowing the joint between two of its sections. Fig. IV is a sectionalView on the line IVIV, Fig. III. Fig. V is a sectional view on the lineVV, Fig. III. Fig. VI is a vertical sectional view through one of thelevel caslngs.

Referring more in detail to the parts 1 designates a folding combinationtool, preferably composed of aluminum, and having a central section 2,and end sections 3, each comprising a web 4 having longitudinal flanges5 whose inner faces are provided with markings 6 corresponding to anordinary rule. Rigidly secured to adjoining ends of the sections 2 and 3are compensating hinges comprising hinge members 7, mounted on each endof the central section 2 and on opposite faces of web 4 and havingpivotally mounted leaves 8 adapted to register with slots 9 in the weband pivotally connect with leaves 10, which are Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Serial No. 755,794.

in turn pivotally mounted on the hinge members-11 and adapted toregister with the slots 12 of the end pieces 3. The leaves 8 and 10 areof suflicient length to permit limited endwise movement of the sections,the surplus length being housed in the slots 9 when the parts are infunctional position.

Projecting from each end of the central section 2 are dowels 13, whichtake into apertures 14 or 15 in the ends of the sections 3, the formerjoint being made when the tool is used as a straight edge and the latterwhen used as a square, so as to hold all the sections in perfectalinement.

At each end of the central section is a boss 16 having a slot 17 nearthe center which is closed at one end and provided with a centralaperture 18. A screw 19 is extended loosely through the boss 16 and heldwithin the slot by the downturned flange 20 of a plate 21 which issecured to and covers the slotted face of the boss, and is provided withlaterally directed ears 22 for limiting the travel of the hingespresently described.

The screw 19 has a knurled head 23 projecting from one face of the bossand into an aperture 2 1 in the web 4, so that the screw may be easilymanipulated to connect adjacent sections, but may have no projectingparts to interfere with folding of the sections upon each other.

On each of the end sections, opposite the boss 16, is a boss 25, havinga'threaded aperture 26 in its end and a similar aperture 27 in its topadapted to receive the screw 19 when the parts are in straight or rightangle position respectively, to hold the parts extended to form a ruleor at right angles to form a square.

Near the center of the web of each section is a level 28 preferablycomprising a hub flange 29 and wooden ring 30, having two spirit tubes31 mounted therein, in parallel relation to each other, and protected byglass plates 32, one of which is supported on a shoulder 33 on the hubflange 30, and held in place by the ring 34, and the other held to thering by a screw flange 35 which is threaded into the hub flange; thering being preferably strengthened in its mounting by a screw 36 whichis extended through the hub flanges.

In order to fasten the parts together when in folded position, the endsections are provided with thumb screws 37 which are loosely mounted inthe Webs and'adapted for projection into the apertured bosses 38 of thecentral section. a

In using the tool, presuming the parts to be in the osition shown inFig. I, the thumb screws 3'? are loosened and the parts revolved so thatthe dowels 13 project into the apertures 14, in which position theknurled head 23 is turned to move the screw 19 into aperture 26 and drawthe parts together.

If it is desired to place one section at right angles to the other andform a square as shown in Fig. II, the dowels 13 are projected intoapertures 15 of the end pieces and the parts drawn together by turningthe screw 19 into aperture'27.

The hinge leaves 8 and 10 are made of eX- tra length so as to compensatefor the space required in placing the dowels 13 in place, the saidleaves being thrown out of alinement with their mating-sections 7 and 11respectively and housed within the slots 9 and 12 when the rule sectionsare in either wall.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe It is apparent that a device of this'type may be packed or carriedin a small space, but when extended is of suflicient length foraccurately plumbing or leveling a wall.

Having. thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. A combination tool, comprising separate sections, triple joint hingesconnecting said sections, and means for rigidly securing said sectionstogether'independent of said hinges.

2.'A combination tool comprising sepa-; rate sections having dowel andsocket members respectively, and compensating hinges connecting saidsections whereby the doweled ends may be brought into abutment, andmeans for rigidly alinement or at right angles to each other.

3. A combination tool comprising sepa-' rate sections having a web andlaterally directed flanges, an apertured boss on the end of one sectionhaving one facein line with the ends of said-flanges, a screw looselymounted in said boss, a boss on-the end of the other section having itsside and end faces in line with the sides and ends of said flanges andhaving side and end apertures adapted for receiving said screw.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature invpresence of two witnesses.

* GEORGE P. DEWEES. '7

Witnesses: 7 a i 1 ARTHUR W. CAPS, LETA E. COATS.

Commissioner 01:? Patents,

Washington, D. G.

securing said parts in

